Australia’s Changing Demography

Households in Australia Changing demography

The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) is the Australian Government’s key research body in the area of family wellbeing. AIFS conducts original research to increase understanding of Australian families and the issues that affect them.

Listed below are the findings;

Types of families in Australia

Types of families in Australia

Types of households

Household type 2011. See data table below.

Projections: 2011-36

  • couple families with children will decrease from 44.1% in 2011 to 40.2% in 2036
  • couple families without children will increase from 37.9 in 2011 to 41.1% in 2036
  • couple families without children will outnumber couple families with children by 2030.

Number of households and families projections

Projected number of households and families 2006-2031. Data table below.

Footnote:
ABS released household and family projection (2011-2036) in 2015. The number of households in Australia is projected to increase from 8.42 million to between 12.73 million and 12.57 million by 2036. ABS produced three projection series with different assumptions: a) living arrangement propensities for 2011 continues to 2036; b) low rate of change in living arrangement propensities; c) the trend in the rate of change in propensities from 1996 to 2011 continues to 2036 (for details see ABS (2015) Household and family projects, Australia, 2011 to 2036). The figure plots the projected number of households and families based on the assumptions of low rate of change in propensities and shows that both the number of households and the number of families will continue to grow to 2036.

Data table – Projected number of households and families 2011-2036
Year Number of Households (‘000) Number of Families (‘000)

Note: The percentages are based on the Series B projections. ABS Series B projections are based on the assumption of low rate of change in propensities – the rate of change in propensities from 1996 to 2011 continues at the full rate of change to 2016, half the rate change to 2021, one-quarter the rate of change to 2026, and then remains constant to 2031.
Sources: ABS (2015) Household and family projects, Australia, 2011 to 2036 (Catalogue no. 3236.0)

2011 8420.0 6144.1
2016 9241.5 6703.5
2021 10100.5 7297.4
2026 10961.7 7884.3
2031 11828.2 8459.0
2036 12681.5 9016.9

Family type projections

Family type projections, 2011-2036. See data table below.